Time-based sectored servo data format

1. A method comprising:

performing a coarse adjustment of the position of a transducer head relative to a recording medium;

sensing a first time-based servo pattern on the recording medium with the transducer head;

performing a fine adjustment of the position of the transducer head relative to the recording medium as a function of the sensed first time-based servo pattern; and

computing a time when the transducer head will encounter a second servo pattern based on the sensed first time-based servo pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sensing the position of a recording medium.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reading from a data track on the recording medium.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

commencing a timing interval based on the computed time when the transducer head will encounter the second servo pattern; and

writing to a data track on the recording medium during the timing interval, wherein the data track is between the first and second time-based servo patterns.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising suspending writing to a data track when the timing interval expires.

6. A system comprising:

a transducer head that reads data from data tracks on a recording medium;

a head actuator that positions the transducer head relative to the recording medium; and

a servo controller that controls the head actuator;

wherein the servo controller and head actuator cooperate to perform a coarse adjustment of the position of the transducer head relative to a data track, and

wherein the servo controller and head actuator cooperate to perform a fine adjustment of the position of the transducer head relative to the data track as a function of a time-based servo pattern sensed by the transducer head, and

wherein the servo pattern is a first servo pattern, the system further comprising a write clock that computes, as a function of the first servo pattern sensed by the transducer head, the time when the transducer head will encounter a second servo pattern.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a signal decoder that receives signals generated by the transducer head as a function of sensed servo pattern and derives the lateral position of the transducer head relative to the medium based upon the timing of the signals.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the signal decoder further generates a position error signal as a function of the difference between the derived lateral position of the transducer head from the ideal lateral position of the transducer head.